Where Social Media Jobs Are

A few years ago, we couldn’t have imagined that there would be actual jobs for people to “play” on Twitter all day. And yet, an entire category of employment has sprung up around Internet Marketing and Social Media. This infographic by Onward Search looks at where social media roles are, as well as what they’re paying.

The Jobs

We’re starting to have some consistency as far as job titles for social media roles, though many times, sales, marketing, PR and social media bleed into one another. According to the infographic, these are some of the more popular job titles:

Social Media Strategist or Specialist

Brand Manager

Online Community Manager

Marketing Manager

Content Writer

Where the Jobs Are

Not surprisingly, social media jobs are primarily found in larger cities, like New York City, Miami, LA and the Silicon Valley. I suspect there are a lot more of these roles that are held virtually throughout the nation, but there’s no data on that as this infographic looks at the top 20 markets for social media jobs.

What did surprise me about the data is the wide range of salaries across the country (and even in the same city). For example, a Social Media Strategist would start at $36,000 in Phoenix, and cap out around $68,000. But in New York City (yes, where the cost of living is higher) the range for this role is $55,000-$103,000. I suspect the ranges would reveal a fresh grad who’s been using social media for personal entertainment for years at the lower end of the scale, as well as a seasoned marketing and advertising professional with a solid understanding of strategy and execution at the upper end.

The best paying social media job? A Social Media Marketing Manager in San Jose, California can make as much as $117,000. It might be time to consider that move to the Valley, eh?

I’d be interested to compare the roles and responsibilities of one position at a lower salary range in one city to a higher salary in another. I’m curious whether the increase in salary is completely about cost of living, or if the roles demand more work.

I’d also love to see data on full time versus part time or freelance, as many of us who work in social media and marketing do so on a retainer or hourly basis, as our clients don’t have the need for a full-time social media staffer.

What I take away from this data is that social media isn’t going anywhere. Companies recognize that they must invest in social media at some level, and are carving out roles to do so.

Susan Payton is the Communications Manager for the Small Business Trends Awards programs. She is the President of Egg Marketing & Communications, an Internet marketing firm specializing in content marketing, social media management and press releases. She is also the Founder of How to Create a Press Release, a free resource for business owners who want to generate their own PR.

I found the range of salary very interesting. Social Media Marketing can definitely be a career for the new generation to consider. It’s a new revolution that has brought wonders to small and big businesses. Thank you for sharing.

That salary range is nuts, and it’s incredible that over the past few years, jobs in social media have increased As someone in college obviously something like that would be very appealing to a graduate, but I can see where there are serious flaws in hiring someone to manage your social media prospects. I think that finding out the difference between a salaried job and a freelancer, or a job for any certain degree (what kind of degree?) and someone who considers themselves simply a ‘social media guru’.

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